“Healthy Lifestyle Adds to Colon Cancer Survival”
“Colon cancer patients who had a healthy body weight, engaged in regular physical activity … and drank small to moderate amounts of alcohol had longer disease-free and overall survival than patients who did not,” Erin L. Van Blarigan, ScD, of the University of California San Francisco said during a press briefing prior to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.
Readers were cautioned against interpreting the results as meaning that lifestyle changes can replace cancer treatment.
The American Cancer Society published recommendations for nutrition and physical activity for cancer survivors in 2012. Whether adherence to the guidelines improved survival or other outcomes among patients with cancer remained unclear. Van Blarigan reported findings from an analysis designed to inform the issue.
